Mila turned toward me slightly.
Marcus continued. “With Darren’s body recovered and the documents verified, prosecutors now have leverage.”
“What kind of leverage?” I asked.
“Enough to formally charge Lorne in connection with Darren’s murder.”
The words landed heavily. The ocean rolled quietly beneath the dark horizon.
“And Dunn?” I asked.
“That investigation is expanding,” Marcus answered. “The financial trail runs directly through several offshore structures tied to Dunn Industries.”
“What about Victor Langley?”
“He’s now very much on the federal radar. But he may have slipped the country.”
The implications stretched farther than either of us expected when this started.
“How soon does this move forward?” I asked.
Marcus exhaled slowly. “Sooner than anyone inside those companies would prefer.”
Silence followed.
Then Marcus’s voice softened slightly. “You two should be careful.”
“This investigation is about to make a lot of powerful people nervous.”
“I’m aware.” That wasn’t anything new for us.
“I figured you would be.”
The line briefly went quiet. “Keep me updated if anything changes on your side.”
“I will.”
The call ended.
For a while, neither Mila nor I spoke. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, pressing a kiss lightly into her hair.
“We’ve dealt with enough of their mess. It’s time we build something that’s ours.”
She peered up at me. The wind lifted strands of her hair across her cheek. I brushed them away from her cheek.
Her gaze softened slightly. “I love that. It’s our time—finally.”
Later that evening, I pulled into the driveway at home.
The house stood quiet against the dark sky. Inside, the tension that had lived here for weeks still hung in the air.
I crossed the foyer and moved toward my father’s office. That was when I noticed Drew standing near the study door. He leaned casually against the wall, arms folded, his expression unreadable.
His gaze lifted when he saw me. Several seconds passed as he studied my expression. “You heard.”
It wasn’t a question. “Marcus confirmed it tonight,” I replied.
Drew said nothing.
